Yes, it is the end of November, and there are still beautiful flowers and green plants in the Big Woods. I picked these a couple of days ago and brought them into the house to cheer us during the Thanksgiving holiday.

My sisters, brother, and I (Yes, we missed you Sewing Sister.) were shopping today on the square in Pulaski, Tennessee, and there was a beautiful pot of geraniums blooming on the sidewalk.

And yet it is time to begin decorating for Christmas.

We have chosen tomorrow to set up our Christmas tree. The kids can hardly wait...I on the other hand am having a hard time getting motivated.

I have looked through various catalogs, scrolled through several blogs, and watched Oprah's favorite things...yet the holiday spirit is not overtaking me... yet.

Maybe I'll start tomorrow by removing the orange and yellow flowers from the arrangement above and adding some red berries. Hopefully that will motivate me to delve into the multitude of attic boxes that hold Christmas decor.

My daughter spent her Saturday afternoon making all of these candy turkeys.

I think they are just the cutest most adorable Thanksgiving turkeys in the world.

She used Oreos

mini Reese's cups

candy corn

m & m's

buttercream icing

and malted milk balls.

She says the secret is lining them up against something while the icing has time to set.

Also, it helps if you put the Reese's cups in the refrigerator before unwrapping.

Our only problem with making these precious turkeys was finding the candy corn. We went to five different stores and nobody had candy corn. So, she used what we had left from Halloween and substituted m & m's on part of the turkeys.

I think that's what makes these so cute...some are orange and some are red.

Cute, cute, cute.

I'm just wondering if we will have any left by Thanksgiving Day. Somehow, I dought they'll make it that long.

The Dixie Deere is a pulling tractor that competes in tractor pulls all over the United States. The owner and pullers are very good friends of ours. My husband and I are honored to be invited to attend an Award's Ceremony with our Dixie Deere friends each year in the fall.

We have a great time, and really enjoy having a night away without the kids (sorry kids).

And...did I mention the Dixie Deere has been the Grand National Champion two years in a row???!!!

Sometimes I forget to notice what is right in front of my face. Today, I took a little time and decided to look up in our Big Woods. The leaves in most places have fallen, but in our Big Woods, they seem to be holding on for a little while longer. I will try to pay better attention to the beauty that is around me this week.

The Dependable Sister is famous for her homemade potato chips!!! We give the Dependable Sister a hard time about her cooking. For some odd reason, she always winds up being assigned to bring the rolls, or the plates, or the drinks to all of our family meals. She has taken this to mean that we think she cannot cook.

The truth is...she is a wonderful cook. Her specialties include deviled eggs, pecan tarts, and cornish hen. She has supper on the table...on the plate...for her husband every night when he gets home.

But...she is most famous for her homemade potato chips. I have tried my hand at her recipe tonight. She still makes them better than I do.

To make these potato chips, you first should peel your potatoes and slice them very very thin.

Once they are peeled and sliced, place them in a bowl of ice water.

Preheat your oil, then remove potatoes from ice water, and carefully add them to the hot oil. It is best to avoid overloading the oil. Stir occasionally as they cook until they begin to brown.

When desired brownness is reached, remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Salt to taste.

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale is the story of a young lady who lives in a village on a mountain where her family works in a quarry. She wants to work in the quarry too...but she is too little and too weak.

A strange visit from a prince looking for a bride has her attending the Princess Academy instead.

This is a very unusual book that has lots of exciting suspenseful moments. You can't quiet figure out just what is going to happen next, which makes it a good book to read.

It's time for another recipe...so how about something for fall. This is my Sewing Sister's recipe. Her family loves it when she makes Apple Goody.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

You will need:

1 can pie apples (or 4-5 fresh apples peeled and sliced)

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup oats

3/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick melted margarine

Lucky for me, my Sewing Sister called just as I started making this. I told her I was making Apple Goody, and she told me the recipe I was using had the margarine left off the recipe. Sure enough, I would have really messed it up if she hadn't called.

Mix the pie filling, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into a large baking dish. ( I really feel like I am cooking when I have to measure baking powder, salt, and such.)

Next, mix all the topping ingredients adding the margarine last.

This makes a crumbly mixture that you will crumble by hand on top of the filling.

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About Me

I am a wife, mother of two, mother-in-law to one and a Sixth Grade teacher. I love looking for new ideas and sharing them with others. You can find me shopping for bargains, working late at school, participating in activities at my church, cooking for my family, and gardening in the shade. Welcome to the Big Woods!